Chapter 274 - 272: It Turns Out Yang Xun Has a Wife

"You!" Madam Zhao’s face turned livid with anger. She spun toward Zhao Hongshan and roared, "Look at your daughter! Look at how she’s behaving!"

Zhao Hongshan furrowed his brows. "Linglong, don’t be impulsive. Go back to your room and get some rest. We can talk after you’ve calmed down..."

"I am calm." Zhao Linglong cut him off. She stared straight at her father, her tone carrying an unprecedented resolve. "Dad, I’ve lived in this house for so many years. You all say I’m sick, but I don’t think it’s my illness that’s causing me pain; it’s this family. I live every day under their judgmental stares, to the point where even breathing feels exhausting. If you truly want what’s best for me, let me go."

Zhao Hongshan looked into her swollen, red, yet exceptionally resolute eyes, feeling a sharp prick in his heart. He remembered his late wife’s dying wish, urging him to take good care of Linglong and ensure the child never suffered any grievances. But now... He could tell that his daughter’s gaze was different from before; it was filled only with disappointment and determination.

After a moment of silence, he sighed and turned to enter his study. When he came back out, he was holding a bank card. He walked up to Zhao Linglong, pressed the card into her hand, and said hoarsely, "Don’t mistreat yourself while you’re out there."

Zhao Linglong looked down at the bank card as tears welled up once again. She didn’t cry out loud, but merely clutched the card so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Zhao Hongshan then turned to Yang Xun and said solemnly, "Dr. Yang, I’m entrusting Linglong to you. This child has suffered a lot growing up, and as her father, I failed to protect her. Now that she wants to leave with you, I trust you won’t mistreat her. If you ever get too busy and can’t take care of her, just send her back."

Yang Xun looked at the exhausted self-reproach in his eyes. He stayed silent for a moment before nodding. "Rest assured, I’ll take good care of her."

Zhou Yuan had been in a deep sleep, only to wake up and be told they were heading back to Zhonghai City overnight. Thinking he was still dreaming, it took him a long while to finally drag himself out of bed. Shortly after, Zhou Yuan and his subordinates boarded the car.

Zhao Linglong stood at the doorway and glanced back one last time at the house that held all her loneliness and grievances. Then, she turned around and followed Yang Xun out.

Under the cover of night, the black commercial van turned on its headlights and slowly drove out of the Zhao Family’s gates. Zhao Hongshan stood at the doorway, watching the vehicle disappear with a heart full of guilt. He stood there for a long time—so long that Madam Zhao finally couldn’t help but speak up. "They’re already gone. What are you still staring at?"

Zhao Hongshan slowly turned around and looked at Madam Zhao. As a flood of memories surfaced in his mind, his eyes gradually turned cold and disappointed. "I’m going to sleep." After saying that, he headed straight back to his room.

Madam Zhao stood in the living room, staring at Zhao Hongshan’s back as he disappeared around the corner of the stairs, an incredibly ugly expression on her face. Zhao Lili walked out of the kitchen with a glass of water. She glanced toward the entrance and curled her lips. "It’s good that she’s gone. Saves her from being an eyesore around the house all day."

Madam Zhao snorted coldly. "Now that she’s left, she better not come back."

Meanwhile, the black commercial van was speeding along the highway toward Zhonghai City.

Zhao Linglong leaned against Yang Xun’s shoulder, her tears silently soaking his clothes drop by drop. Zhou Yuan sat next to them, sneaking peeks every now and then. Yang Xun turned his head and shot him a speechless glare, prompting Zhou Yuan to smile awkwardly before shutting his eyes to sleep.

The vehicle drove steadily through the night. By the time they entered the downtown area of Zhonghai City, it was already the early hours of the morning. It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the Xu Family Villa. Yang Xun and Zhao Linglong got off, and the Zhou Family’s car drove away.

The two quickly walked inside. The living room was perfectly quiet, save for the faint clinking of pots and pans coming from the direction of the kitchen. Yang Xun changed into his slippers and walked over, only to see Xu Yue standing in front of the stove wearing a light gray apron. Holding a spatula in her hand, she had her head lowered, focused entirely on stir-frying something. BUBBLE BUBBLE. Steam billowed from the boiling pot, and the rich, savory aroma of tomato and beef brisket permeated the air.

Hearing footsteps, Xu Yue turned her head. A glimmer of pleasant surprise flashed through her gentle, beautiful eyes. "You’re back?"

"Xu Qian called and said you weren’t feeling well. Why are you cooking?" Anxious, Yang Xun quickly stepped forward to check on her.

"I was only feeling unwell for a little bit this evening; I’m fine now that it passed. I heard you were coming back, so I got up to make you a late-night snack." Xu Yue scooped up some soup with a ladle, her tone laced with natural concern. "You’ve been out for so many days, you definitely haven’t eaten properly, have you?"

A wave of warmth washed over Yang Xun’s heart. Watching her earnestly cook, he found the scene exceptionally heartwarming. "You keep busy then. I’ll go take a shower and change my clothes. Oh right, let me introduce you. This is my patient, Zhao Linglong. It’s too late today, so she’ll stay here for the night. Tomorrow, I’ll have her go keep Xiaocai company." He pointed to Zhao Linglong standing behind him.

Xu Yue froze slightly, not expecting Yang Xun to bring back a young, pretty girl. She felt a slight pang of sour jealousy in her heart, but she kept a perfectly gentle demeanor on the surface. "Hello, I’m Xu Yue, Yang Xun’s wife. The guest rooms are all tidy. I’ll have Yang Xun take you upstairs to pick one later."

Seeing Xu Yue looking at her, Zhao Linglong grew a bit nervous and actually blushed. "You’re so beautiful."

"Thank you." Xu Yue smiled faintly. "Treat this like your own home. It doesn’t matter how long you stay."

"You’re so nice."

Zhao Linglong’s eyes sparkled. She hadn’t expected Yang Xun to already have a wife, let alone someone as beautiful as an absolute goddess. It was hard not to feel a bit inferior. She then followed Yang Xun upstairs and picked out a guest room.

Yang Xun returned to his own room, took a shower, and changed into a clean T-shirt and shorts, feeling much more refreshed. By the time he and Zhao Linglong returned to the first floor, three dishes had already been set out on the dining table: tomato and beef brisket stew, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and garlic shrimp.

Xu Yue untied her apron, draped it over the back of a chair, and sat down opposite him. Picking up her chopsticks, her gaze landed on his face. "So? Were these past few days tiring?"

"It was alright."

Yang Xun picked up a piece of beef brisket and popped it into his mouth. The meat was stewed until it was tender and flavorful, striking the perfect balance between sweet and sour. It tasted exceptionally good, and he couldn’t help but praise her. "Delicious! I never knew my wife’s cooking skills were this amazing!"

Xu Yue felt a bit shy under his praise, her voice carrying a hint of delight. "Then eat some more."

As the two ate and chatted, Zhao Linglong felt somewhat awkward sitting on the side. After eating a few bites, she found an excuse and went upstairs.

After the meal, Yang Xun took the initiative to clear the table and wash the dishes, and Xu Yue didn’t fight him for it. While he was washing, Xu Yue hugged him from behind. The softness of the woman’s body instantly ignited the fire within Yang Xun. Over the past few days at the Zhao Family’s home, he hadn’t truly released his urges, so the lustful fire in his body was easily stoked.

Xu Yue also sensed the change in him. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she whispered, "I’ll help you later when we get back to the room."